He must've caught me gaping because my new friend Eli grinned knowingly. "You're a bacon fan too, huh? The only thing I like better is a thick slab of ham, pan-fried and dripping with grease."
My hand automatically rubbed my stomach. "We get ham once a year, when Mistress delivers it on Christmas Day. But it's not greasy. It's actually thin shaved and kinda dry, if I'm being honest. Bacon was also a rare treat, but it's my favorite."
"A rare treat? What kind of meat did they feed you? Hot dogs and Spam?" Eli looked horrified on my behalf.
Shrugging, I shook my head. "We didn't eat a lot of meat. Master said meat is for alphas and regular wolves, not omegas. Our constitution is too delicate to enjoy it more often than as a rare treat."
Eli shuddered, holding a hand up as if begging me to stop. "I don't know who this Master person is, but he is a big fat liar. Omegas aren't too dang delicate for anything. Please, I'd love to see an alpha push a baby out like we can. Heck, most of them wouldn't last the pregnancy, let alone the delivery. So now I have to ask, who is Master anyway?"
Okay, I guess we were getting right into it. "I don't know, aside from the person who has always had complete control over my brothers and my lives. He is mated to Mistress, but she only visits for two hours on Christmas Day and for half an hour on one of our birthdays."
Lucian and Matt were paying attention now. Matt was taking notes while Lucian started asking questions. "What do you mean by your brothers? And where did they visit you?"
"They aren't really my brothers, except they are because we grew up together in an old barn in the hills near the highway where Lucian found me. None of us know how. We were just… always there."
"How many brothers? I'm guessing they're still trapped, yeah?" Lucian looked worried for them, which proved what I already knew in my heart—I could trust this alpha.
"I'm guessing there were originally fifteen of us, but nobody knows One, and we barely remember Two. He was removed when we were little. My brother Twelve was taken seven birthdays ago, so I think we were about thirteen. There's barely a dozen of us now. I was about to be removed, so I had no choice but to take my chance to escape. Luckily, I'd made a friend on the outside, and he helped me get away. I promised my brothers I would be back with help, though. I'm afraid what might be happening to them now I’m gone."
Lucian and Matt both growled, then immediately apologized as if they thought I was scared. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Knowing these alphas cared enough to be angry about the situation made me feel safe.
After a moment, Matt drew my attention. Lucian was busy shredding a paper napkin and obviously working to contain his wolf. "If I might ask a question, Thirteen. What is it you mean when you say removed? I have a feeling I know, but it's best to ask."
"We never knew. Like I said, Two is barely a blip in our memory, but Twelve was our brother. He was there one day and gone the next. Master came and took him away. When we asked Teacher where he was going, we were told to mind our business. But then a couple days ago, Teacher took me aside and told me I would be leaving on Monday. Master would be taking me to an auction where wealthy alphas would bid on the right to be my mate. I didn't care to be sold like cattle, as my friend Alex put it, so I escaped, and now I'm here."
My mate stood so fast, his chair went flying. Running his hands through his hair, he tugged at the tips and growled, pacing. I wasn't sure whether to jump up and comfort him or allow him some space.
Eli patted my hand. "Don't mind Luci—this is hard for him to hear. Why don't you tell us about this friend, Alex? How did you meet him? Were you allowed occasional trips to town?"
"Gracious, no. Teacher keeps us in line with strict rules, and the guardians are there to keep us from getting away. We get to leave the barn once a week, and only to spend an hour in the sun while we meditate. And once a month, we get to take a leisurely walk around the courtyard in furskin when the moon is full. Teacher says it's necessary so we don't shame our future alphas. Otherwise, we don't go outside, and we are not allowed contact with the outside world. Once a week, if we earn it, we get to watch a classic movie on the projector. Teacher says we need to understand how society works, but the modern world is too gauche."
"Seriously? You were raised in, like, a bubble. How are you supposed to know how to act if they don't let you learn popular culture? Or, you know, actually meet other people?" Eli sputtered indignantly, his face a mix of both pity and anger. I didn't mind the anger, but I wasn't sure I liked the pity.
"Don't worry. My brothers and I have always managed to rise above and find ways to be happy. And there are a lot of good, classic movies and books." I didn't know why I felt defensive, except it was awkward to realize precisely how weird my upbringing had been.
Eli seemed to understand, though. He scooped a pile of bacon on my plate with a smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. Eat more bacon. It will make you feel better. There’s a reason I call it the candy of meats."
To mess with him, I tried to look as confused as possible. "What's candy?" When his eyes went wide in horror, I burst out laughing. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. Fear not, even barn-raised bubble boys get candy every once in a while."
Snorting, Eli pointed at the bacon again. "I knew I liked you. Now eat and explain how you made a friend when you couldn't leave the barn."
I tapped the side of my head. "Superpower, remember? Our gifts were the one thing Teacher and Master didn't seem to know about us. When they started coming in, my brothers and I hid them at first because we thought we were weird. Then we started finding out about each other’s and talking and… Yeah. So we voted to keep the secret between us, unless Teacher or Master asked or forced us to tell. Mindspeaking is my gift. I don't know how to work it perfectly, and I didn't dare ask for help. I heard Alex last year sometime, so maybe about eight or nine months ago? You'll have to understand—we try not to keep an exact track of time in the barn. Days flow together anyway, so what's the point?"
Lucian stopped pacing, coming close enough to rest a hand on my shoulder. "And where is this Alex now? Where was he when I found you on the highway left for dead?"
Shaking my head, I was quick to come to my friend's defense, explaining what happened as fast as I could. “There was one more thing. He recognized Jones as one of his father's men. All this time, he was afraid to tell me why he lived so close. He said he thinks his father is Master. But I know Alex's intentions were pure, and I refuse to blame him for the sins of his father."
Matt nodded soberly. "I hear you. My father was no prize either. Rather than hold Alex responsible for things out of his control, I think we will be grateful for the part he played."
Lucian dropped to his knees beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders in a gentle hug. "And we will pray to the goddess Alex lived. In the meantime, I think we need to figure out where you were being held so we can get your brothers out of there. If it were me, and I was an evil prick who had so many omegas on my hands, I'd be planning to transport them." Leaning back, he searched my eyes with concern. "Tomorrow is Monday. You think they'll try to take them to the auction you were scheduled to be in? I don't want to alarm you, but we need to be proactive."